Hope Pattey First Female Head of Homicide at Florida State Attorney's Office

Wife, mother of two started out as a courthouse clerk.

Hope Pattey steps up as homicide director for the State Attorney's Office as two longtime homicide prosecutors are retiring in the next two years.

ERNST PETERS | THE LEDGER

By JASON GEARYTHE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 8:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 8:25 p.m.

BARTOW | Hope Pattey started her legal career as a courthouse clerk but is now calling the shots in murder cases as the head of the State Attorney's homicide division.

"Being a prosecutor is just all I ever wanted to do," Pattey said. "It's all I ever thought about doing. It's the reason I went to law school."

The 45-year-old Lakeland woman, who is the mother of two girls, ages 6 and 9, must be available to visit crime scenes, pore through thousands of pages of investigative reports, and find time to speak to grieving family members.

"It is very stressful," she said. "I think there are days you have to sit back and take a breath and clear your head."

Earlier this year, State Attorney Jerry Hill selected Pattey to serve as homicide director for his agency — the first woman to hold the job in the history of the 10th Judicial Circuit, which covers Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.

Pattey has amassed an extensive resume in the criminal justice system.

She started as a part-time clerk at the courthouse at the age of 16. She then worked in various secretarial positions at the State Attorney's Office.

She later served as a secretary for Bob Doyel and then as his judicial assistant when he was elected a circuit judge.

She earned her bachelor's degree by attending classes at night. She saved money and went to Florida State University, where she earned her law degree in 1999.

She returned to the State Attorney's Office and has spent most of her career there as a prosecutor with only a brief stint in private practice.

She worked her way up the ranks to director of the misdemeanor division, and was selected in 2011 to become a homicide prosecutor.

Her promotion to homicide director July 8 is just one of many changes underway inside that division.

Pattey said she was "very humbled" that Hill gave her the opportunity.

"I have made a commitment to him that I will make this the best homicide division he's ever had," she said. "I'm going to work hard to do that."

WAVE OF THE FUTURE

As Pattey settles into her new role, two longtime homicide prosecutors — Paul Wallace and Cass Castillo — are preparing for retirement.

Castillo is expected to retire in October 2014, and Wallace is scheduled to retire in December 2015.

In July, Hill transferred John Aguero, who had been the homicide division's director for years, citing health reasons.

"For 25 years, we were just incredibly stable," Hill said. "We had a group of experienced homicide lawyers that knew what they were doing, and we just stayed out of their way. They took care of things. But change is just a reality in any office.''

Aguero said he is feeling well, and enjoys his current assignment teaching new prosecutors and developing their courtroom skills.

"I think Hope will do fine," he said. "I'm still down here. She can ask me anything she wants."

Pattey, who spent time as Aguero's secretary early in her career, eventually worked alongside him as a homicide prosecutor.

"I could never fill his shoes, ever," she said. "I could never be the director of this division or even the homicide prosecutor that he was."

Hill said he is convinced Pattey is up to the task of running the homicide division.

"She is a good manager," Hill said. "She handles people very well. She is a good trial lawyer. She can relate to judges, and she can relate to jurors. She is the real package. I think she is the wave of our future. She can bring that (homicide) unit together and keep us moving."

SEARCHING FOR TALENT

A pressing challenge for Pattey is to find and train new prosecutors to handle first-degree murder and death penalty cases.

She said she wants to instill in these prosecutors the importance of sympathizing with a victim's family.

"You are like their guardian angel," she said. "You have to take the time to talk to them and take the time to show them you care."

Pattey has experience training lawyers from her time spent as director of the misdemeanor division.

"That's a hot spot," Hill said. "That's where you take a dozen new kids that frankly don't know 'come here' from 'sic 'em' about criminal law, and you got to make them gel. You got to train them and organize them. She did a great job at that."

Austin Maslanik, who is the director of the homicide division for the Public Defender's Office, said Pattey's extensive background — from court clerk to homicide prosecutor — gives her a good foundation for her new job.

"She is someone who has seen the whole operation of the system," he said.

He praised Hill for selecting Pattey.

He noted Assistant State Attorney Stacie Kaylor and Assistant State Attorney Tammy Glotfelty are also serving as directors of misdemeanor and juvenile divisions, respectively.

"I do think it's great that Jerry Hill has elevated women to more leadership positions," Maslanik said.

FORMIDABLE PROSECUTOR

Lakeland lawyer David Carmichael describes Pattey as a formidable and sensible prosecutor with a strong grasp of the law.

In May, Carmichael faced off against Pattey in the murder trial of Jerry Lee Seger.

Seger, 43, of Lakeland, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for strangling his daughter's girlfriend.

"Hope presents herself as a very approachable and reasonable arbiter," Carmichael said. "She is straightforward. She doesn't play games. I've always considered if Hope tells me something that it is accurate and reliable."

Pattey has the responsibility of being a manager and a homicide prosecutor, he said.

"Either one of the jobs can be overwhelming," he said.

"I'm confident she can be successful though."

Pattey said she strives to spend quality time with her family, including her two daughters and husband of 21 years.

But her job's responsibilities are never far from her mind.

"It doesn't come before my family, but it's always in the back of my mind what's happening," she said.

"There's no other way for you to do it. You have to have a family that understands and is supportive."

The caseload is daunting. Currently, there are more than 50 pending first-degree murder cases.

Trials are being set more than a year in advance.

"It seems to be an inventory that we just simply can't chop down on," Hill said.

Hill said his office doesn't "cherry pick" murder cases to get wins, and will go forward with a case if his prosecutors believe that they've got the right person.

This year, two defendants in separate murder trials were found not guilty.

In May, Timothy Carey was acquitted of all charges related to the 1996 robbery and fatal shooting of Tommy Eugene Smith, a nursing supervisor.

Last month, Richardo Jones was found not guilty of killing his ex-girlfriend's new lover.

Pattey described the not guilty verdict in Jones' case as "the most devastating feeling as a prosecutor" that she ever felt.

"I knew that we had a family that we had to walk out there and face and tell them we can't get justice for your child," she said. "It was horrible … I take it personally. I feel their pain. You get to know them, and they get to know you. You see them in court. They hug your neck and thank you for what you do."

Hill said he has confidence that Pattey's hard work ethic will help her succeed in her new job.

"We'll end up with a unit that's as strong as any we've ever had," he said.

[ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]

<p>BARTOW | Hope Pattey started her legal career as a courthouse clerk but is now calling the shots in murder cases as the head of the State Attorney's homicide division.</p><p>"Being a prosecutor is just all I ever wanted to do," Pattey said. "It's all I ever thought about doing. It's the reason I went to law school."</p><p>The 45-year-old Lakeland woman, who is the mother of two girls, ages 6 and 9, must be available to visit crime scenes, pore through thousands of pages of investigative reports, and find time to speak to grieving family members.</p><p>"It is very stressful," she said. "I think there are days you have to sit back and take a breath and clear your head."</p><p>Earlier this year, State Attorney Jerry Hill selected Pattey to serve as homicide director for his agency — the first woman to hold the job in the history of the 10th Judicial Circuit, which covers Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.</p><p>Pattey has amassed an extensive resume in the criminal justice system.</p><p>She started as a part-time clerk at the courthouse at the age of 16. She then worked in various secretarial positions at the State Attorney's Office.</p><p>She later served as a secretary for Bob Doyel and then as his judicial assistant when he was elected a circuit judge.</p><p>She earned her bachelor's degree by attending classes at night. She saved money and went to Florida State University, where she earned her law degree in 1999.</p><p>She returned to the State Attorney's Office and has spent most of her career there as a prosecutor with only a brief stint in private practice.</p><p>She worked her way up the ranks to director of the misdemeanor division, and was selected in 2011 to become a homicide prosecutor.</p><p>Her promotion to homicide director July 8 is just one of many changes underway inside that division.</p><p>Pattey said she was "very humbled" that Hill gave her the opportunity.</p><p>"I have made a commitment to him that I will make this the best homicide division he's ever had," she said. "I'm going to work hard to do that." </p><p>WAVE OF THE FUTURE</p><p>As Pattey settles into her new role, two longtime homicide prosecutors — Paul Wallace and Cass Castillo — are preparing for retirement.</p><p>Castillo is expected to retire in October 2014, and Wallace is scheduled to retire in December 2015.</p><p>In July, Hill transferred John Aguero, who had been the homicide division's director for years, citing health reasons.</p><p>"For 25 years, we were just incredibly stable," Hill said. "We had a group of experienced homicide lawyers that knew what they were doing, and we just stayed out of their way. They took care of things. But change is just a reality in any office.''</p><p>Aguero said he is feeling well, and enjoys his current assignment teaching new prosecutors and developing their courtroom skills.</p><p>"I think Hope will do fine," he said. "I'm still down here. She can ask me anything she wants." </p><p>Pattey, who spent time as Aguero's secretary early in her career, eventually worked alongside him as a homicide prosecutor.</p><p>"I could never fill his shoes, ever," she said. "I could never be the director of this division or even the homicide prosecutor that he was."</p><p>Hill said he is convinced Pattey is up to the task of running the homicide division.</p><p>"She is a good manager," Hill said. "She handles people very well. She is a good trial lawyer. She can relate to judges, and she can relate to jurors. She is the real package. I think she is the wave of our future. She can bring that (homicide) unit together and keep us moving."</p><p>SEARCHING FOR TALENT</p><p>A pressing challenge for Pattey is to find and train new prosecutors to handle first-degree murder and death penalty cases.</p><p>She said she wants to instill in these prosecutors the importance of sympathizing with a victim's family.</p><p>"You are like their guardian angel," she said. "You have to take the time to talk to them and take the time to show them you care."</p><p>Pattey has experience training lawyers from her time spent as director of the misdemeanor division. </p><p>"That's a hot spot," Hill said. "That's where you take a dozen new kids that frankly don't know 'come here' from 'sic 'em' about criminal law, and you got to make them gel. You got to train them and organize them. She did a great job at that."</p><p>Austin Maslanik, who is the director of the homicide division for the Public Defender's Office, said Pattey's extensive background — from court clerk to homicide prosecutor — gives her a good foundation for her new job.</p><p>"She is someone who has seen the whole operation of the system," he said.</p><p>He praised Hill for selecting Pattey.</p><p>He noted Assistant State Attorney Stacie Kaylor and Assistant State Attorney Tammy Glotfelty are also serving as directors of misdemeanor and juvenile divisions, respectively.</p><p>"I do think it's great that Jerry Hill has elevated women to more leadership positions," Maslanik said. </p><p>FORMIDABLE PROSECUTOR </p><p>Lakeland lawyer David Carmichael describes Pattey as a formidable and sensible prosecutor with a strong grasp of the law.</p><p>In May, Carmichael faced off against Pattey in the murder trial of Jerry Lee Seger.</p><p>Seger, 43, of Lakeland, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for strangling his daughter's girlfriend.</p><p>"Hope presents herself as a very approachable and reasonable arbiter," Carmichael said. "She is straightforward. She doesn't play games. I've always considered if Hope tells me something that it is accurate and reliable."</p><p>Pattey has the responsibility of being a manager and a homicide prosecutor, he said.</p><p>"Either one of the jobs can be overwhelming," he said.</p><p>"I'm confident she can be successful though."</p><p>Pattey said she strives to spend quality time with her family, including her two daughters and husband of 21 years. </p><p>But her job's responsibilities are never far from her mind.</p><p>"It doesn't come before my family, but it's always in the back of my mind what's happening," she said. </p><p>"There's no other way for you to do it. You have to have a family that understands and is supportive."</p><p>The caseload is daunting. Currently, there are more than 50 pending first-degree murder cases. </p><p>Trials are being set more than a year in advance.</p><p>"It seems to be an inventory that we just simply can't chop down on," Hill said.</p><p>Hill said his office doesn't "cherry pick" murder cases to get wins, and will go forward with a case if his prosecutors believe that they've got the right person.</p><p>This year, two defendants in separate murder trials were found not guilty.</p><p>In May, Timothy Carey was acquitted of all charges related to the 1996 robbery and fatal shooting of Tommy Eugene Smith, a nursing supervisor.</p><p>Last month, Richardo Jones was found not guilty of killing his ex-girlfriend's new lover.</p><p>Pattey described the not guilty verdict in Jones' case as "the most devastating feeling as a prosecutor" that she ever felt.</p><p>"I knew that we had a family that we had to walk out there and face and tell them we can't get justice for your child," she said. "It was horrible … I take it personally. I feel their pain. You get to know them, and they get to know you. You see them in court. They hug your neck and thank you for what you do."</p><p>Hill said he has confidence that Pattey's hard work ethic will help her succeed in her new job.</p><p>"We'll end up with a unit that's as strong as any we've ever had," he said.</p><p>[ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]</p>